Just 60 days in the past that the Villa attacker found himself on the Stadium of Light pitch, looking confused as Unai Emery admonished him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. During that period, as Villa failed to win in six, doubts remained whether his displays were a symptom or the reason of the team's more general malaise.
“When Rogers netted his second… Emery tore off his coat, threw his arms wide, and bellowed in delight.”
This weekend, however, the touchline reaction proved to be decidedly more positive. When the England international swept in his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery ripped off his jacket, threw his arms wide and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a 10th successive win , having failed to win their initial half-dozen fixtures, are somehow only three points off the leaders Arsenal.
Are They Serious Hopefuls?
It remains an exceptionally difficult question to answer. The historical record, a general sense of Villa, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, their performances haven't been entirely convincing this season, while the positive results have accumulated.
Per statistical analysis, on just two occasions has the team registered an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a side that have strung together ten consecutive victories, they look weirdly vulnerable – however right now the margins are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping their talisman to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. It happened at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing United.
The initial strike stemmed from an exquisite effort, curled right inside the upright from the edge of the area. His brace-completing goal was essentially a slightly less clean iteration of goal number one as he pounced on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.
“Much like Robben with his left, Rogers’ right foot has become a known threat that remains brutally unstoppable, regardless of anticipation.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition had more shots and more efforts on goal. The team has triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.
A statistical correction might be the greatest opponent the club must confront in the near future. The forward, almost certainly, cannot keep on drilling the football into the net's top corner forever.
A Case for Belief
Maybe there exists a different scenario where, rather than results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Vital cogs might still return to peak condition.
- Ollie Watkins could start adding to his goal tally.
- The attacking talent might become the force he showed in Germany.
- The injured centre-backs will eventually regain fitness, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.
This could contain the potential of a genuine bid, but they surely cannot keep relying on one man.
Enjoying the Ride
Yet, this was unforeseen. Nobody thought Villa would be in a Champions League place in December. And most definitely two months ago, no one envisioned the young forward by the end of the year would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as a crucial player for the national team.
This remarkable period should be enjoyed precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero positioned himself before the North End when the game ended conducting the cheers, he seemed to be relishing every moment. As he deserves to. Such periods are rare in football and must be appreciated.
